Does Ruth Marcus Want President Obama to Apply the Post's Censorship to His Lecture Series

Saturday, 13 November 2010 08:14

For years the Post has used both its editorial and news pages to push the idea that Social Security and Medicare are unaffordable burdens for the U.S. economy. The paper almost never lets readers hear from any of the expert voices who question this assessment or shows any of the evidence that exposes it as being wrong.

Today, Ruth Marcus suggested that President Obama have a lecture series to explain to the American people that these entitlements are unaffordable. She also suggested that he offer his podium to dissenters, like Republican Congressman Paul Ryan who wants to privatize both Medicare and Social Security.

The question that millions are asking is does Marcus envision that President Obama would allow dissenters who oppose its austerity vision, or does she want him to be as one-sided as the Post? For example, should President Obama give his podium to someone who would show that there would be no budget problem if per person health care costs were the same in the United States as in any other wealthy country? Should podium users be allowed to point out that Medicare could save trillions over its 75-year planning period by just giving people the option to get care from countries with more efficient health care systems? Will the public be exposed to the idea that we could save trillions of dollars over the next decade by adopting a more efficient mechanism for developing prescription drugs.

It would be great if President Obama used his platform to educate the public about major economic issues. Unfortunately, I think that Ms. Marcus's intention was that this platform only be used to highlight Post approved views.

Today, Ruth Marcus suggested that President Obama have a lecture series to explain to the American people that these entitlements are unaffordable. She also suggested that he offer his podium to dissenters, like Republican Congressman Paul Ryan who wants to privatize both Medicare and Social Security.

This lecture series is balanced with proponents and dissenters to demonstrate that when economic rents for health care are so high they can't be financed by the government, they can be shifted to the private sector where the rents can be collected with even higher prices under Teabagger Death Panel Health Care. When combined with earlier deaths under privatized Social Security, the net benefits are positive.

It's better that an inferior person live a shorter life so one of superior productivity can can live a longer one, than for both to succumb to an early death under socialist entitlement programs.

Since all economic rent is retained under this entitlement reform, it is zero sum in the aggregate with no additional net cost. The debt disappears, competition remains suppressed and the higher prices act to prevent doctors and Wall Street from leaving the country for better opportunities, which would bring the country down.